Broadhead system

ABSTRACT

The present application includes a shaft body for attachment to an arrow shaft. The shaft body includes a notch for locating a portion of a pivoting blade. The pivoting blade is configured to pivot relative to the shaft body about a pivoting member. The pivoting blade operates between a retracted orientation and an extended orientation. A band is configured to seat within one of a plurality of shaft body grooves around the shaft body and pivoting blade so as to secure the pivoting blade in the retracted orientation for handling prior to flight and during flight. Upon impact the band is unseated and the pivoting blade transitions to an extended orientation to increase the damage area on the target.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to hunting equipment, more particularly, to a broadhead tip for use in hunting with arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Present arrow tip designs typically incorporate a single blade configuration having one or more fixed blades. The blades are rigid and usually have one or more cutting surfaces. The fixed blade design is used to pierce an animal during hunting or a target during practicing. The design of the fixed blades are configured to increase the damage inflicted to the animal upon impact while minimizing the negative effects upon the arrow during flight. In order to inflict more damage, typically more blades are used which in turn increases the relative size and weight of the broadhead. Weight imbalances in the arrow between the broadhead and shaft can adversely affect the trajectory of the arrow. An improved broadhead is needed to increase the inflicted damage to a target while minimizing the weight increases and trajectory of the arrow.

Although great strides have been made, with respect to broadheads, considerable shortcomings remain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features believed characteristic of the application are set forth in the appended claims. However, the application itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a broadhead system according to the preferred embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 2 is front view of the broadhead system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the broadhead system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the broadhead system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the broadhead system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a alternative perspective view of the broadhead system of FIG. 1 with pivoting blades extended; and

FIG. 7 is a chart of the method of operating the broadhead system of FIG. 1.

While the system and method of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the application to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the process of the present application as defined by the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Illustrative embodiments of the preferred embodiment are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

In the specification, reference may be made to the spatial relationships between various components and to the spatial orientation of various aspects of components as the devices are depicted in the attached drawings. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the present application, the devices, members, apparatuses, etc. described herein may be positioned in any desired orientation. Thus, the use of terms, such as above and below, to describe a spatial relationship between various components or to describe the spatial orientation of aspects of such components should be understood to describe a relative relationship between the components or a spatial orientation of aspects of such components, respectively, as the device described herein may be oriented in any desired direction.

The system in accordance with the present application overcomes one or more of the above-discussed problems commonly associated with conventional broadheads. Specifically, the system of the present application utilizes one or more retractable blades to selectively extend upon impact so as to increase the size of the wound entry. The retractable blades are configured to pivot from the main body shaft. During and prior to flight the blades are retracted and held in place with a band located in a groove. Matching grooves are located in the blades. By maintaining the blades in a retracted orientation during flight, the flying characteristics become more predictable and the trajectory of the arrow is more accurate. Upon entry, the target engages a front portion of the retractable blades, resulting in sufficient force to pull/push the retracted blades into an extended position. The band remains intact around the shaft and slides down the shaft in a rearward direction for use in subsequent shootings.

A particular feature of the present application is the grooves located in the shaft body and the blades. Multiple grooves are positioned along the shaft to account for different degrees of poundage settings for the type of firing device being used. The initial acceleration of the arrow results in a force that tends to extend the blades. The band counteracts that force. Each groove is located a predetermined distance away from the pivot point of the retractable blades. The further away the band is located, the greater the poundage or force that may be counteracted upon firing. Therefore the same broadhead system may be used with multiple different firing devices merely by adjusting the location of the band to account for differing poundage settings. These and other unique features of the system are discussed below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The system will be understood, both as to its structure and operation, from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description. Several embodiments of the system are presented herein. It should be understood that various components, parts, and features of the different embodiments may be combined together and/or interchanged with one another, all of which are within the scope of the present application, even though not all variations and particular embodiments are shown in the drawings. It should also be understood that the mixing and matching of features, elements, and/or functions between various embodiments is expressly contemplated herein so that one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate from this disclosure that the features, elements, and/or functions of one embodiment may be incorporated into another embodiment as appropriate, unless otherwise described.

The broadhead system of the present application is illustrated in the associated drawings. Referring now to FIGS. 1-6 in the drawings, wherein like reference characters identify corresponding or similar elements in form and function throughout the several views. In particular, FIG. 1 in the drawings illustrates the broadhead system of the present application. System 101 of the present application includes a shaft body 103, one or more blades 105 and 107, a band 109, and a pivot member 111.

Broadhead system 101 includes shaft body 103 that is configured to selectively couple to an arrow shaft 104. Body 103 is interchangeable with one or more shafts 104. Therefore, system 101 is configured to be adaptable to different firing tools (i.e. bows, crossbows, and so forth). The shaft body 103 includes a notch 113 for locating pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b. Notch 113 extends the length of shaft body 103 and is configured to pass completely through shaft body 103 to permit the usage of a plurality of pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b. It is understood that some embodiments may restrict notch 113 such that notch 113 does not pass completely through shaft body 103. Notch 113 may therefore be a simple slit or channel along a side of shaft body 103. Notch 113 is configured to house a portion of pivoting blades 107 a, and 107 b when in the retracted position as seen in FIG. 1. A blade 105 is illustrated at the point or front tip portion of shaft body 103. Blade 105 may be a single blade as illustrated or be configured having one or more blades in any configuration.

Pivoting member 111 is configured to couple directly to shaft body 103 and pass through a portion of notch 113. Pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b are configured to engage pivoting member 111 and pivot between a retracted orientation into an extended orientation about pivot member 111. An extended orientation is seen in FIG. 6.

System 101 further includes one or more shaft body grooves 115 a-c (see also FIG. 6) that are channeled into shaft body 103 and are configured to extend around the exterior circumference of shaft body 103. Each groove 1155 a-c is located a predetermined or preselected distance from pivot member 111. Band 109 is configured to pass around shaft body 103 and seat within one of grooves 115 a-c. The purpose of band 109 is to secure pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b in a retracted orientation prior to flight and during flight. Movement of the blades during flight and at the time of launch from the firing device can result in unpredictable trajectory. Band 109 is configured to secure blades 107 a and 107 b in the retracted position.

It is understood that the firing devices used with broadhead system 101 vary in poundage settings that directly affect the speed, impact forces, and acceleration forces that system 101 are subjected too. Firing devices are each set at a certain poundage setting that corresponds to the tension and force exerted within the device and passed to the arrow. The predominant forces exerted upon pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b, are mainly (1) acceleration forces exerted upon system 101 at the time of firing and (2) impact forces exerted upon system 101 at the point of impact with a target. The impact forces are greater than the acceleration forces. The goal is to secure pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b in the retracted orientation during initial acceleration but permit the impact forces to transition pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b to an extended position. Therefore, system 101 includes multiple grooves 115 a-c.

Band 109 is configured to apply a constant and relatively similar amount of force at any one of grooves 115 a-c. However, by adjusting the distance of grooves 115 a-c from pivoting member 111, the net amount of forces able to be resisted by band 109, prior to unseating from grooves 115 a-c, also changes. For example, groove 115 c is closest to pivoting member 111. Band 109 within groove 115 c is able to withstand less force than when band 109 is seated in groove 115 a. Therefore there is a balance to selecting the correct groove 115 a-c to seat band 109. Band 109 is configured to unseat from the respective groove 115 a-c when the impact forces act along a front portion 117 of pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b, but not unseat when subjected to the acceleration forces. A user merely selects the specific groove 115 a-c for seating band 109 prior to firing based upon the strength and pound setting of the firing device.

As seen in the figures, pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b are illustrated including blade grooves 119 a-c each. Blade grooves 119 a-c are optional. When included in system 101, grooves 119 a-c correspond and align with that of grooves 115 a-c in shaft body 103. Grooves 119 a-c act to provide additional seating area for band 109, to ensure proper placement relative to pivoting member 111.

In particular with FIGS. 2 and 3 in the drawings, system 101 is illustrated from a front and rear view respectively. As seen in FIG. 4, a side view of system 101 is illustrated wherein the location of pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b are depicted. In FIG. 4, pivoting blades 107 a and 107 b are stacked one above the other, so as to share pivoting member 111. Notch 113 includes a tapered inset 121 toward the tip end of shaft body 103 to provide a stop for each blade 107 a and 107 b. The angle and contour of tapered inset 121 is selected and configure to match the contour and shape of blades 107 a and 107 b. It is understood that the precise configuration and orientation of inset 121, notch 113, and blades 107 a-b may be modified in other embodiments depending on design constraints. For example, multiple pivoting members may be used to allow the pivoting blades to rest side by side as opposed to being layered as depicted. FIG. 5 illustrates system 101 in a top view with pivoting blades 107 a-b in a retracted orientation.

Referring now also to FIG. 7 in the drawings, a chart of steps involved in the method of operating system 101 is illustrated. A user locates 201 broadhead system 101, having one or more pivoting blades coupled to a shaft body. The shaft body is coupled 203 to an arrow shaft if not already attached. It is understood that system 101 is interchangeable with one or more arrow shafts. A user determines the firing device and its associated pound setting and then retracts the blades 205 and seats 207 the retaining band 109 in a corresponding shaft body groove 115 a-c. The band and groove correspond to the pound setting of the firing device. The band is configured to secure the pivoting blades in the retracted orientation prior to flight and during flight so as to maintain predictable flight characteristics.

Upon impact, band 109 is configured to unseat from the selected groove as a result of impact forces with the target. The impact forces cause the pivoting blades to pivot about pivoting member 111 into an extended orientation. This resulting pivoting causes the band to translate along the shaft body in a rearward direction. Band 109 is configured to be reusable; and by staying around shaft body and/or arrow body it is not lost upon impact or the resulting penetration of system 101 within the target. The pivoting blades are retracted 209 by removing the shaft body from the target. The rearward translation of the shaft body in the target returns the pivoting blades to the retracted orientation. A user only needs to reseat band 109 within a groove to properly secure pivoting blades once again 211. The user may then remove and replace system 101 onto a different arrow shaft.

The system disclosed within the current application has many advantages over the prior art including at least the following: (1) pivoting blades; (2) ability to selectively adjust the retention force of the bands applied to the pivoting blades; (3) corresponding blade grooves in the pivoting blades; (4) reusable feature of the band; and (5) interchangeability of the broadhead system with multiple arrow shafts.

The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the application may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified, and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the application. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the description. It is apparent that an application with significant advantages has been described and illustrated. Although the present application is shown in a limited number of forms, it is not limited to just these forms, but is amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. 

1. A broadhead for an arrow shaft, comprising: a shaft body having a notch, the shaft body configured to couple to the arrow shaft; a pivoting member coupled within the shaft body and configured to pass through a portion of the notch; a pivoting blade configured to pivot relative to the shaft body about the pivoting member, the pivoting blade located at least partially within the notch; a shaft body groove around the circumference of the shaft body; and a band configured to pass around the shaft body and rest within the shaft body groove, the band configured to secure the pivoting blade in a retracted orientation.
 2. The broadhead of claim 1, wherein the notch passes through the shaft body.
 3. The broadhead of claim 1, wherein the pivoting blade pivots about the pivoting member between a retracted orientation and an extended orientation.
 4. The broadhead of claim 3, wherein the pivoting blade is retracted during flight.
 5. The broadhead of claim 3, wherein the pivoting blade is secured by the band prior to launch from a firing device.
 6. The broadhead of claim 3, wherein the pivoting blade is configured to pivot to an extended orientation upon impact of the pivoting blade with a target.
 7. The broadhead of claim 3, wherein the pivoting blade is configured to return to a retracted orientation during removal from a target.
 8. The broadhead of claim 1, wherein the shaft body groove is located at a selected distance from the pivoting member to counteract a predetermined poundage force exhibited upon firing the arrow shaft from a firing device.
 10. The broadhead of claim 1, further comprising: a second shaft body groove around the exterior circumference of the shaft body, the second shaft body located at a distance from the pivoting member greater than the shaft body groove.
 11. The broadhead of claim 10, wherein the band is selectively seated in at least one of the shaft body groove and the second shaft body groove.
 12. The broadhead of claim 1, further comprising: a second pivoting blade configured to pivot relative to the shaft body.
 13. The broadhead of claim 12, wherein the pivoting blade and the second pivoting blade pivot about the same pivoting member.
 14. The broadhead of claim 1, wherein the pivoting blade includes blade grooves in corresponding locations to that of the shaft body grooves.
 15. A method of operating a broadhead, comprising: locating the broadhead in a firing device, the broadhead including a shaft body coupled to an arrow shaft; retracting one or more pivoting blades; and securing the pivoting blades in a retracted orientation by selectively locating a band around the circumference of a shaft body according to the poundage of the firing device.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: coupling the shaft body to the arrow shaft.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more pivoting blades are configured to pivot to an extended orientation upon impact with a target.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: retracting the one or more pivoting blades by removing the shaft body from the target.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the band is configured to translate along the shaft body as the one or more pivoting blades transition from a retracted orientation to an extended orientation.
 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the shaft body is interchangeable with the arrow shaft. 